Page 10 of Quarantined
She is sitting on the steps outside of her brownstone. I immediately feel calm, and my chest is not so hollow anymore.
I have gotten to know Raven really well over the past year. She has become a part of our family. She is young but shockingly mature for her age. At this point, I consider her a really good friend of mine. She is poised, classy, and well put together. She is the kind of person who has a calming effect on everyone. I have even seen her have that effect on my mom. Not to mention, she is incredibly beautiful.
I constantly have to remind myself not to even think shit like that. I am seventeen, just a few months shy of eighteen, and about to start college. She is fourteen about to enter her freshman year in High School. Plus, she is Reid’s best friend. So I force myself not to look too deeply into her physical beauty.
Which is fine, because the best part about her is actually her words. She has a way with words, always articulate yet humorous. Exactly what I need right now.
“Hi, Rave.”
Raven spots me and gives me her megawatt smile. Despite how much I chide myself, my heart stops.
“Hey there. Did the party end early?”
“Naa, it’s still going on. What are you doing outside by yourself?”
“Just needed some air.”
I have a feeling that means Uncle John did not come home again. Raven is sitting outside, waiting for him. I am shocked that Raven still craves his love. He has been treating his only daughter like dirt since her mother left. Love has made a monster out of that man, who was once my hero.
Raven does not harbor any hard feelings towards her mother or father. She talks to her mother on the phone. She told me she was happy her mother pursued her dreams. I have to shake my head at her perspective on life.
The more Raven acts like she understood Theressa’s decision, the more Theressa drowns in guilt over leaving her daughter. She has been showering her daughter with gifts. At least once a month, Raven gets shipments of designer clothing and shoes. Raven’s tact is effective, even though she doesn’t know it.
When you attack someone, they become defensive. It’s easier for them to defend their bad behavior. When you act with class and poise, they can’t deflect their anger on you. They have no choice but to acknowledge their own shitty behavior. It’s the best way to make someone feel ashamed. I have learned a lot from Raven.
The only negative from the situation is the clothes her mother keeps sending her. Her mother demands photos of Raven wearing these clothes.
Since her private school requires uniforms, Raven’s only opportunity to wear them is around us. I don’t know if her mother realizes, but those outfits make her fourteen-year-old daughter look like an eighteen-year-old model. They give me mini heart attacks, further making my denial about Raven’s physical attributes that much more difficult. I have made it a point to include Raven in all of our family outings. And more than once, during our outings, Reid and I had to threaten to murder men with leering eyes or groping hands.
I sit down next to Raven on the steps. We sit together in comfortable silence for a little while. Raven puts her head on my shoulder like she often does. After a beat, I ask her an unsettling question.
“When was the last time you saw Uncle John?”
Raven doesn’t say anything.
Another odd fact hits me. “Rave, why are all the lights off in your house?”
She is still quiet.
“Rave…”
“Milo… don’t.”
“Don’t what?”
“Don’t worry about it.”
“I do worry about it.”
“It’s not a big deal. Dad made a mistake with the electricity bill. They shut it off.”
“What the hell!” I yell out immediately. “When did this happen?” I am furious, and she looks too fucking calm for my comfort.
“Milo, he is going through something. And it’s not that big of a deal. It’s been great weather lately. It’s not too hot. If there was a time for dad to slip up, thank God it was now.”
She tries to smile it off. Is she seriously making a joke right now?
I know Raven’s not a pushover. She won’t let anyone talk down to her. Reid, with all of his hot temper, is the only one who tries. Raven usually says something to the effect of:
